To Become a Better Human, Read a Novel
Fiction can pick up where self-help books fall short
The summer of 2016, my husband recommended I read a novel called The Brothers K. I’m no stranger to getting lost in a good story — as a kid, I spent long summer days reading Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary, and a decade later, I graduated with a degree in English. But in that season of my life, pregnant with my second son and wrestling with anxiety, I wasn’t particularly interested in fiction. Growing felt a lot more important than escaping.
Still, thanks to my husband’s persistent encouragement, I picked up the tattered novel. And, to my surprise, I didn’t put it down for two weeks. Nearly 700 pages and probably as many tears later, I had learned a lot about life — maybe most importantly, that a coming-of-age story could teach me just as much as the stack of nonfiction titles sitting on my bedside table.
Many of us turn to self-help books for personal development and for good reason. Brené Brown and Malcolm Gladwell have a lot of wise things to say, and following step-by-step formulas for overcoming your hang-ups feels like a very grown-up endeavor. But if you want to actually practice becoming a better human, the immersive emotional roller coaster of a novel can be just as effective.
